


It's Always Quicker Than You Think

by apliddell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M, The Marauders - Freeform, the afterlife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apliddell/pseuds/apliddell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirius boards a train.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Always Quicker Than You Think

Sirius Black comes to himself at the sound of a train whistle. He opens his eyes and squints into a grey fug that fades and clears as he looks into it. He’s lying on his back on a nothingish sort of surface, but just ahead, he can see a train platform and a gleaming scarlet steam engine. Sirius pushes himself to his feet, marvelling at how light and well and easy he feels. He boards the train with a little tingle of anticipation pricking in his fingers. 

The train pulls away from the station as soon as the door slides shut behind him. It seems to be deserted and Sirius walks along the corridor until he comes to the last compartment. The one he’d always rode in with the Marauders on their journeys to Hogwarts a whole lifetime ago. Sirius slides open the compartment door and steps inside. Sprawled on one of the seats is a skinny boy with untidy black hair and round, crooked glasses, apparently asleep. Sirius stares down at the boy in horror until the boy opens one hazel eye and grins at him, “All right, Padfoot? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Prongs!” Sirius crosses the compartment in one bound, to tug James off the seat into a hug. 

James laughs and pats Sirius’ back, “Okay, Padfoot,” his tone attempts lightness but there’s a tiny tremour of emotion in it. “Now don’t make me tell Moony on you. He’ll be jealous.” 

Sirius nearly drops James at that. He sets him on his feet, “He’s not-”

“Oh god, no! Sorry, no, he’s fine. Well, not as fine as we are. He’s still down there anyway.” James adjusts his glasses and pats Sirius’ elbow before flopping back into his seat. “We’d have waited, if he was coming along.” James pats the seat next to him, “Well what are you waiting for? Sit. Tell me everything.”

Sirius sits, “I might say the same to you. Where are we going?”

James grins, “You’ll see. Lily’s there; she’ll be dead pleased to see you.” He nudges Sirius with his elbow, bouncing his eyebrows, “Get it, Padfoot? Dead pleased.”

Sirius snorts derisively, “Fifteen years head start and that’s the best death joke you’ve come up with?”

James claps a hand to his heart, “I was going for subtlety. Anyway, you’ve got to admit my opening line was killer.” 

Sirius allows a grin, “It was. Passable.”

James sniffs, “You, my friend, have broad taste. It’s always been a fault of yours.” 

“You’re not putting me off, are you, Prongs?”

James’ smile doesn’t drop, “Look at you, sharp as a tack. You’ve got all mature, then. All that living. You used to be easier to trick.”

“Nah, I never was. And you’re still putting me off, James.”

James does go a bit serious at that, “You just want to see it all for yourself, Sirius. Don’t worry.”

Sirius considers that, “Is it like Hogwarts?” 

James raises his eyebrows in impressed surprise, then mimes locking his mouth and throwing away the key, “Sorry Padfoot, my dear, but you’ll know all in due time.” 

“Does it take long to get there?” Sirius looks past James for the window, but the shade is drawn. 

James shrugs, “You’re the first person I’ve ever come to fetch. Lils and I came up on the same train.” 

Sirius ponders that, “So you knew I was coming?”

James nods, “You’re thinking of Moony, I expect?”

Sirius shudders, “I’ll know before he does.” 

James interests himself in the pattern on the seat and picks at the nap for a moment before he answers, “That’s the sort of thing we have quite a lot of perspective on out here, Padfoot.”

“It’s different for you and Lily, isn’t it? You came together.” Sirius feels a twinge of the heavy bitterness that had overhung him toward the end of his life and notes with interest that it already seems quite alien and strange, “We were separated for a long time. I don’t know if you know. Over a decade.”

James nods, “I do know.” He pats Sirius’ hand. “Poor old Padfoot. I’m sorry. Rough go. You deserved better.”

Sirius shrugs, “Remus deserved better. Deserves better.” He sighs, “Seems I can’t stop leaving him.” 

James pats Sirius’ hand again, “Just this last time.” He smiles a little sadly, “He’ll be along before you know it. It’s always quicker than you think.”


End file.
